94             JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Jan. 17,

warded them north, per underground railroad: and whereas
said Garrett did attend a meeting of abolitionists, held at the
Assembly Buildings in the city of Philadelphia, on the 17th
day of December, 1859, whereat he stated, that by his books
of entry and record, he had stolen and conveyed north by the
underground railroad, the further number of 386 slaves, since
the report in May, 1857, making a total of 2,445 slaves stolen
by said Garrett. And whereas, the said sum of $196,912
bestowed upon said Garrett in May, 1857, and his large annual
receipts per capita, for every slave he can so steal, have made
him rich in wealth, and marked him as a wicked, a base
traitor to man and God; and whereas most of the slaves so
stolen by said Garrett, belong to the citizens of this State,
whose rights of property the State is sacredly pledged to
secure inviolate; Therefore,

Be it resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That
the Treasurer pay upon the order of the Comptroller, the sum

of --------to any person or persons, who may secure said

Thomas Garrett, in some of the public jails of this State, and
that the Governor of this State on information of such fact,
is hereby requested to employ the best legal ability of the
State to prosecute said Garrett to conviction and punishment.

Which was read the first time.
On motion of Mr. Seth,

Leave was granted the special committee to introduce a
bill to protect the oysters and the oyster trade in the State of
Maryland, and to raise a revenue for the same.

Mr. Burgess offered the following:

"Whereas, the report of the Adjutant General of this State,
shows that the armories of the same are nearly if not quite des-
titute of arms, and that the few now remaining in them are old
and unfit for use; and whereas, it likewise appears by said re-
port that Maryland's quota in the distribution of arms by the
General Government for 1859, (when received,) will be in-
adequate to furnish the arms which the public exigency seems
to demand; Therefore; it is hereby ordered that the commit-
tee on Ways and Means, be instructed to enquire into the

expediency of reporting a bill appropriating the --------sum

of money to be applied under the direction of the Governor
and Adjutant General of this State, for the purchase of such
a number of Sharpe's or Minnie's rifles, with the necessary
accoutrements thereto, as will be adequate to arm at least one
volunteer rifle company, in each county of this State;

Which was adopted.